On This Day . . .

Erika’s New Husband

May 6, 1889: Eiffel Tower Officially Opens

The Eiffel Tower is officially opened to the public at the Universal Exposition in Paris. Taking 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to complete it was the pinnacle of technical and architectural achievement for the time. A symbol of France’s technical prowess at the end of the 19th century, it was a demonstration of French engineering personified by the tower’s engineer, Gustave Eiffel.

Gustave Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower was erected as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair. At 1063 feet it is the height of a 81 story building and was the tallest man made structure in the world at the time. As a global icon of France it is the most recognizable structure in the world welcoming more than 250 million visitors since being built in 1889.

Foundations of the Eiffel Tower

The start of the erection of the metalwork

Construction of the legs with scaffolding, December 7, 1887

Completion of 1st level, March 20, 1888

Start of construction of 2nd stage, May 15, 1888

Completion to 2nd level, August 21, 1888

Construction of upper stage December 26, 1888

Construction of cupola, March 15, 1889

Three things you may not know about the Eiffel Tower

Erika with her new groom

– The base pillars of the Eiffel Tower are oriented with the four points of the compass.

– Temperature alters the height of the Eiffel Tower by up to 6 inches.

– In 2008, a 36-year-old San Francisco woman, formerly a member of the U.S. Army and a champion archer, married the tower and changed her name to Erika La Tour Eiffel.